Can my boss prohibit me from travelling?

InPsyDer

Communication has gone out from management in my job recently telling employees that they are prohibited from travelling, in response to the current coronavirus situation.

I already have 2 holidays booked and paid for this year. One is in just a few weeks and while I totally understand the seriousness of the virus and that any such advice about travel is intended for the benefit of all employees, surely my employer does not have the right to just announce to me that I may not travel?

I am still very much minded to go ahead with my trip but don't want to feel like I have to conceal the fact that I went away just because of my work saying not to, especially as if I did feel unwell upon return I would of course want to be able to advise HR immediately.

Can I be disciplined in any way if I decide to go ahead? If my work is going to insist on this are they obliged to reimburse me for the cost of flights? (Apologies, I don't wish to sound selfish as I know a lot of people have been tragically affected by the virus but this is more about trying to understand what my personal rights are here)

danoriordan1402

Are they not just referencing work related travel? Our place is the same, no trips to the other centres in US, India, etc etc. They can hardly stop your personal travel.... that's your call.

anewme

Interesting discussion Op and I'm sure one which is happening in a lot of work places.

Other staff may not want to work alongside you after you came back. That's come up in our office anyway.

danoriordan1402

danoriordan1402 wrote: »

Are they not just referencing work related travel? Our place is the same, no trips to the other centres in US, India, etc etc. They can hardly stop your personal travel.... that's your call.

You’d be surprised how many think they can though. A lot of them have the attitude that they own you.

OP, follow HSE advice and take all precautions but if you can go then you can go. If the company is trying to stop that it would never hold up.

Harry Palmr

Don;t be shocked if you are told to self isolate if you are coming back from a country which has the virus, two weeks unpaid leave.

InPsyDer

From the phrasing of it I took it as referencing travel in general, not just for business. I totally understand no employer (or team!) wants anyone coming in spreading bugs and making people sick. I would stand to lose several hundred euro with no recourse from insurance by following this instruction though so I'm really hoping I can make my own call about what to do in my personal time without it becoming a serious HR conversation afterwards... Just not sure if it's something an employer could legally enforce or not.

Paul_Mc1988

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Don;t be shocked if you are told to self isolate if you are coming back from a country which has the virus, two weeks unpaid leave.

Hes fit to work and is not taking any sick leave. If hes contracted to work 40 hours and the boss tells him to stay at home hes entitled to be paid. He can go to the doctor to get a fit to work note and hell be well covered.

Baseball72

Our company have stated no international travel for business, and not to visit other offices where we might have 2 locations in the one city.

I have holiday planned for June overseas and can work from home upon return - but hopefully by June it will not be an issue.

con747

Check your contract and ask for clarification as to whether it is for a work or pleasure ban. Personally I can't see how if you have time booked off and holidays paid for why they could stop you. These are strange times though so that's just my opinion.

Strumms

In your time off, the company has zero entitlement to know....

Where you have been

What you are doing

Who you are with

There have zero entitlement to enforce a travel ban or any other conditions to you being off on annual leave, fûck them quite frankly, go away, enjoy, if they ask what you are doing or where you are going... ‘just taking a break’ ..short, sharp and leave it at that.

Ficheall

How much do you hate your coworkers?

blackwave

Strumms wrote: »

In your time off, the company has zero entitlement to know....

Where you have been

What you are doing

Who you are with

There have zero entitlement to enforce a travel ban or any other conditions to you being off on annual leave, fûck them quite frankly, go away, enjoy, if they ask what you are doing or where you are going... ‘just taking a break’ ..short, sharp and leave it at that.

I think the employer has a right to know at least out of decency. Like if you visit a infected country you are risking the whole of the office getting sick if you were unlucky enough to catch it while away. Imagine facing your workers when you came back and a few of them had caught it from you.

Op I doubt they can stop you but is there any option to work from home if you did go?

fritzelly

No employer can tell you what you can do or where you can go on your holidays
You have no obligation to tell them what your plans are
You could go anywhere in the world and come back with a dose

Employers have a duty to protect their employees ergo the ban on business travel in some companies

bladespin

blackwave wrote: »

I think the employer has a right to know at least out of decency.

They do not have a right to know anything outside of your work but it would be the decent thing to do if there's a risk.

OMM 0000

InPsyDer wrote: »

From the phrasing of it I took it as referencing travel in general, not just for business.

I think you should get clarification on this, as people here are just going to assume your employer is evil. I don't understand how so many people here don't realise managers are humans too.

It is highly unlikely they are trying to control your private life. It is highly likely they were referring to staff traveling for business purposes.

We're also cancelled all travel.

jayzee

blackwave wrote: »

I think the employer has a right to know at least out of decency. Like if you visit a infected country you are risking the whole of the office getting sick if you were unlucky enough to catch it while away. Imagine facing your workers when you came back and a few of them had caught it from you.

Op I doubt they can stop you but is there any option to work from home if you did go?

But Ireland is an infected country.

yabadabado

blackwave wrote: »

I think the employer has a right to know at least out of decency. Like if you visit a infected country you are risking the whole of the office getting sick if you were unlucky enough to catch it while away. Imagine facing your workers when you came back and a few of them had caught it from you.

Op I doubt they can stop you but is there any option to work from home if you did go?

They don't have any right to know,if you want to tell them that fair enough but you aren't under any obligation.

yabadabado

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Don;t be shocked if you are told to self isolate if you are coming back from a country which has the virus, two weeks unpaid leave.

Incorrect.

If you want to attend work and are told not to by the employer as they want you to self isolate then they should be paying you.

Jim2007

InPsyDer wrote: »

I am still very much minded to go ahead with my trip but don't want to feel like I have to conceal the fact that I went away just because of my work saying not to, especially as if I did feel unwell upon return I would of course want to be able to advise HR immediately.

And if you don't actually get to come back, but end spending another two weeks or longer there, you'll do that without pay right?

Mrs OBumble

Strumms wrote: »

In your time off, the company has zero entitlement to know....

Where you have been

What you are doing

Who you are with.

Untrue.

They have every right to expect you not to bring the company into disrepute at home or abroad.

Mrs OBumble

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Untrue.

They have every right to expect you not to bring the company into disrepute at home or abroad.

This is why companies think they can walk over everyone.

Pauliedragon

InPsyDer wrote: »

Communication has gone out from management in my job recently telling employees that they are prohibited from travelling, in response to the current coronavirus situation.

I already have 2 holidays booked and paid for this year. One is in just a few weeks and while I totally understand the seriousness of the virus and that any such advice about travel is intended for the benefit of all employees, surely my employer does not have the right to just announce to me that I may not travel?

I am still very much minded to go ahead with my trip but don't want to feel like I have to conceal the fact that I went away just because of my work saying not to, especially as if I did feel unwell upon return I would of course want to be able to advise HR immediately.

Can I be disciplined in any way if I decide to go ahead? If my work is going to insist on this are they obliged to reimburse me for the cost of flights? (Apologies, I don't wish to sound selfish as I know a lot of people have been tragically affected by the virus but this is more about trying to understand what my personal rights are here)

Don't tell them what you are doing on the time off. Nobody at my workplace knows where I go on my holidays as it's none of their business. If someone asks just tell them you're spending the week on the couch taking a rest.

PatsyJ

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Don;t be shocked if you are told to self isolate if you are coming back from a country which has the virus, two weeks unpaid leave.

Not a chance.

dartboardio

I'd presume they mean work travel.

If they even thought they could tell me what to do in my own personal time I'd be laughing out the door! :V

Go on your holidays OP if you want to go on your holidays.

yabadabado

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Untrue.

They have every right to expect you not to bring the company into disrepute at home or abroad.

What right would that be ?
How is the OP bringing the company into disrepute?

nthclare

Aff this is getting out of hand, it's like a zombie apocalypse...

Mundo7976

If you were cancel your holiday would the company pay for it?
Neither would the insurance....

Blazer

Of course they mean work travel ffs. Have a bit of cop on for Christ’s sake.
If you really want to highlight your lack of intelligence at a senior level this is probably a great way to do it.
10 years on when someone is doing a grade review on you for a promotion or something, someone will bring up “is that the muppet that thought we were banning personal holidays lol”

AulWan

They can't stop you from travelling but I think its quite possible that you could be told to self-isolate for two weeks after your return.

With or without pay could depend on the company.

yabadabado

AulWan wrote: »

They can't stop you from travelling but I think its quite possible that you could be told to self-isolate for two weeks after your return.

With or without pay could depend on the company.

Why would it be without pay?
On what grounds would an employer have to make it unpaid leave ?

Tell them you’re talking the time off anyway even if you decide not to go on your holiday. All they really want is you to be in work.